reuters: pentagon confirms use of 'carpet bombing.' if you're a regular reader here, you'll remember i somewhat predicted this, and recalled it's use in dresden, germany in ww2. the firestorm killed more civilians than hiroshima or nagasaki; they'll never know how many because refugees were converging on dresden, fleeing the encroaching red army. *sigh* i point you to friends of dresden. after working with fine porcelain [in a previous occupation], i still consider prewar dresden porcelain to be a miracle. the prewar dresden would be on my imaginary top ten high culture cities to visit, no question about it.

reuters: a reversal, to the good. epa to reinstate arsenic limits in drinking water. as stated here when this issue hit the fan, i hope water companies look into filtering at the delivery point, rather than at the plant. it may save $$, and enhance health in other ways, too.

methyl, the cottonwoods are bright yellow now. i'll trot down to alameda tomorrow or friday and see if i can snap you a pic or two.

i think they stuffed his pants with a brillo pad, too. note the black hole/galaxy graphic in back ... i couldn't resist ... happy halloween, mike.

for mike, some blackholebrainbait ... i gave freako the proper bhb-salute:

washington post: g.o.p. in narrow straits. can't agree with this, because i feel the republican 'idealogical narrowing' pales in comparison to the vacuum of idealogy in the democratic party at the present time. unless we have some strong democratic voices *and* ideas come forth, we'll lose ground in 2002.

back at the installation this afternoon. some random observations ... 1) sony 42" flat panels are loud. they whine. 2) dick nixon was walking down the block, looking very depressed, carrying a backpack. halloween's great. 3) bumper sticker on a new s.u.v.: "george w.: ignorant of his own ignorance."